Automobile direction signal



Jul s. 1924;

W. M. COLLINS AUTOMOBILE DIRECTION SIGNAL Filed larch l1 1924 Patented July 8, 1924.

" UNITED STATES WILLIAM M. COLLINS, OF HUNTINGTON, INDIANA.

AUTOMOBILE DIRECTION SIGNAL.

Application filed March 11, 1924. Serial No. 698,555.

T 0 all whom it may concern: Be it known that I, WILLIAM M. OoLLINs, a citizen of the United States, residing at Huntington, in the county of Huntington and State of Indiana, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Automobile Direction Signals; and I do declare the following to be a full, clear, and exact description of the invention, such as will enable others skilled in the art to which it appertains to make and use the same.

This invention relates to an improved automobile signal of the type utilized to indicate the proposed direction of movement of the machine to which the signal is attached. i

It has been my principal aim in constructing the improved signal, to provide one which is an improvement upon prior known devices of this class, the construction of the signal being such as to permit it to be attached to a part ofthe vehicle within convenient reach of they operator to permit easy manipulation.

I aim further to produce an automoble' signal of the type specified which is of exceedingly simple construction and is consequently inexpensive to both the manufacturer and the user.

One of the prime features of the improved signal is the inclusion of a very practical and novel clamp which is constructed for attachment to one of the standards of the automobile windshield.

Other features and advantages of the invention will become apparent from the following description.

In the accompanying drawings forming a part of this specification and in which like numerals are employed to designate like parts throughout the same:

Figure 1 is a front elevation of a signal constructed in accordance with this invention, the same being shown connected to one of the standards of a windshield, and the upper and the intermediate positions of the.

indicator being shown in dotted lines.

Figure 2 is an edge view of Fig. 1, looking in an inward direction.

Figure 3 is a horizontal section taken substantially on the plane of the line 3-3 of Fig. 2.

In carrying out the invention, I preferably employ an improved clamp or attaching bracket which is'indicated generally by the reference character 1. While the clamp the windshield standard S. As seen mor clearly in Fig. 3, the outer ends of the plates are disposed in spaced parallelism and are connected together through the medium of a small bolt 5, on the threadedend of which is a thumb-nut 6. For the purpose of maintaining the plates in properly spaced parallelism, I utilize a spacing: sleeve 7 which is disposed between the outer ends of the plates at a point beyond the connecting means. the outer late 3 is slightly longer than the other p ate and embodies the configuration of an arrow for ornamental purposes. Of course, any suitable outline may be given to this plate, if the one shown is not desired. t

The clamping bracket described constitutes a means for attaching an indicating arrow 8 to the windshield. This arrow is attached to an arm 9 which has its intermediate portion 10 directed laterally and extended through alined apertures in the aforesaid plates 2 and 3 and also through the aforesaid spacing sleeve 7. At this point, I wish to direct attention to the fact that the spacing sleeve 7 is thus giventhe additional function of a bearing for the portion 10. The arm is then extended inwardly as indicated at 11 to provide a han- As seen better in Figs. 1 and 3,

dle by means of which the indicating arrow'8 is moved to the various positions shown. If desired, a knob 12 of rubber,

or other suitable material, may be connected to the inner end of the handle 11 to constitute a finger-grip for convenient manipulation of the indicator. Also, for the purpose of maintaining the latter in various positions, I provide an arcuate guide wire and attach this to the outer face of the plate 3. At predetermined points, the guide wire 13 is bent as indicated at 14 to provide spaced seats into which the arm 9 snaps as it is moved to its various indicating positions. The wire 13 is spaced from the plate 3 so as to exert a slight yielding pressure on the arm 9. With .the structure shown, the indicating arrow 8 can be moved to the positions shown in dotted lines to indicate the direction of movement of the vehicle. For instance, the lower dotted line position could be utilized to indicate a right turn and the upper dotted line position could be utilized to indicate an opposite turn. Or if desired, one of said positions could be used to indicate stop? The arrow normally hangs in the depending state shown in Fig. 1 which would indicate that the vehicle is moving straight ahead."

From Figs. 1 and 2 of the drawings, par ticularly Fig. 2, it will be observed that when in use, the bracket consisting of the plates 2 and 8 and their connecting elements, is disposed substantially in a vertical plane, and when in this position, the bearing formed by the spacing sleeve 7 and the ape-rtures in the plates 2 and 3 will be disposed substantially horizontally. It will also be seen that the inner portion of the arm 9 which swings across a portion ot the plate 3 ot the bracket, contacts flatly with the plate 3 constituting one side of the bracket. The inner end of this arm, which is bent laterally at right angles, extends through the bearing and is then bent less than a right angle to form an operating handle 11 disposed on the other side of the bracket. By having the arm 11 arranged at less than a right angle to the portion thereof disposed in the bearing, the port-ions 9, 10 and 11 may be made in one piece but the parts may be easily assembled by inserting the arm 11 and then sliding and twisting the one-piece structure until the portion 10 is properly located in the bearing. Attention is also directed to the fact that the wire 18, in addition to holding the arm 9 in its various adjusted positions, yieldably bears upon the arm in such a manner as to hold it in contact with the plate 3. The wire 13 therefore, serves to prevent the arm 9 and parts connected thereto from being loose and rattling.

From the foregoing, it will be observed that I have evolved and produced a particularly novel attaching device or windshield clamp for mounting an indicator upon the windshield of an automobile. By simply placing the particularly shaped inner ends 4 of the clamping plate about the windshield standard and tightening the thumb-nut 6, the device will be securely retained in any desired position on the standard S. Clamping of the plates 2 and 3 about the standard also serves to clamp the sleeve 7 tightly between the outer end portions of the plates.

As before stated, particular emphasis is to:

1. An automobile direction signal comprisiiig a bracket adapted to be fastened to a support in substantially a vertical plane, said bracket being provided with a horizon tally disposed bearing, an arm carrying an indicating element mounted to swing across a portion of one side of said bracket having its inner portion contiacting flatly *ith said side of said bracket, the innerend oi said arm being bent laterally at right angles and passed through said bearing and then bent at an angle less than a right angle to form an operating handle locatedon the other side of said bracket, and a resilient menrber mounted on the first mentioned side of said bracket and bearing against said arm to maintain it flat against the first mentioned side of said bracket and hold it in adjusted positions.

2. An automobile direction signal comprising a windshield clamp, said claim p comprising a pair of plates havingtheir inner end portions designed to grip a vertical support, a spacing sleeve disposed between the outer end portions of said platesfor maintaining them in spaced parallelism, said plates being provided with apertures in alinement with the opposite ends ofsai'd sleeve, a clamping bolt passing through" the intermediate portions of said plates" for clamping said sleeve therebetween, an c lia signalling device comprising an arm having a portion passing through apertures and sleeve, whereby to permit the latter to serve the additional function of a bearing. v 7 I In testimony whereof I have hereunto affixed my signature.

WILLIAM M. ooLLINs; 

